A timely contribution and incisive analysis, this is the story of the British experiment in privatizing the nuclear power industry and its subsequent financial collapse. It tells how the UK's pioneering role in nuclear power led to bad technology choices, a badly flawed restructuring of the electricity industry and the end of government support for
The story of the rise, fall and second ascendancy of nuclear power in the United Kingdom. Britain was a pioneer in civil nuclear power and there were once high hopes in the 1950s that this could be a source of cheap electricity and a valuable export opportunity. In The Fall and Rise of Nuclear Power in Britain, Simon Taylor examines why these hopes were never realised, and how we have come to see a new rise in nuclear power in recent years. He traces the UK's nuclear energy history, from the optimism of the 1950s, through the disillusionment of the 1980s, to a new role for nuclear in the 21st century. The construction of Britain's first new nuclear power station in 20 years, Hinkley Point C, marks a major change of policy. Throughout this book, Taylor provides a comprehensive overview of energy policy, economics, politics and changing environmental priorities, keying into debates about the generation and sustainability of this controversial energy source. Will this new nuclear energy turn out to be a heroic story of UK leadership on a matter of global importance, or will it prove a hugely costly folly, as with British nuclear power in the past?
Ensuring safety and efficiency of the procurement market for nuclear power generation has become one of the top priorities of the policy makers in Korea since the discovery of a large number of fraudulent parts and components used by nuclear power plants. This book analyzes the nuclear power industry procurement in Korea, France, and the UK. Although all three countries restructured their electricity industry, they differ substantially in the history of the nuclear power industry, ownership and governance of firms in the industry, and relevant legal infrastructure. The findings of this book will shed light on the factors that affect safety and efficiency in the nuclear power procurement markets and the right direction for reform.
Nuclear power is low carbon and reliable, but in recent years it has struggled to play a strong role in global plans for electricity generation in the 21st century. Many of those involved with nuclear power and environmental agencies see controlled expansion of nuclear plants as the most environmentally friendly way of meeting growing energy demands. In the UK policy makers must recognise concerns around severe accidents and radioactive wastes and balance these against the risks arising from other energy technologies. In addition, energy policy-makers must ensure that energy supplies remain affordable for all in society. How might new nuclear power stations help meet emerging policy needs? This second edition of Nuclear Renaissance: Technologies and Policies for the Future of Nuclear Power continues to examine the future of nuclear power in the contexts of economics, environmental sustainability, and security of electricity supplies. Fully updated with the latest technologies and concerns, this comprehensive guide illustrates the technical challenges and opportunities facing nuclear power. This semi-technical overview of modern technologies meets the growing interest from scientists, environmentalists, and governments in the potential expansion of nuclear power. Various countries are starting to announce plans for new nuclear plants, either to replace those being decommissioned, to provide additional power or to contribute to the decarbonisation of especially challenging industrial activities. In the 2020s many commentators, once again, point to a renaissance just beginning. Nuclear Renaissance: Technologies and Policies for the Future of Nuclear Power is essential reading for physicists, engineers, policy-makers, researchers, energy analysts and graduate students in energy sciences, engineering and public policy. Key features Fully updated throughout, with new content on topics including the latest developments in fission and fusion energy, the global financial crisis of 2008/2009, and the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear accident. Accessible to readers without a formal education in the area Authored by an authority in the field
This book discusses trends in the energy industries of emerging economies in all continents. It provides the forum for dissemination and exchange of scientific and engineering information on the theoretical generic and applied areas of scientific and engineering knowledge relating to electrical power infrastructure in the global marketplace. It is a timely reference to modern deregulated energy infrastructure: challenges of restructuring electricity markets in emerging economies. The topics deal with nuclear and hydropower worldwide; biomass; energy potential of the oceans; geothermal energy; reliability; wind power; integrating renewable and dispersed electricity into the grid; electricity markets in Africa, Asia, China, Europe, India, Russia, and in South America. In addition the merits of GHG programs and markets on the electrical power industry, market mechanisms and supply adequacy in hydro-dominated countries in Latin America, energy issues under deregulated environments (including insurance issues) and the African Union and new partnerships for Africa's development is considered.
The oil price collapse of 1985-6 had momentous global consequences: non-fossil energy sources quickly became uncompetitive, the previous talk of an OPEC 'imperium' was turned upside-down, the Soviet Union lost a large portion of its external revenues, and many Third World producers saw their foreign debts peak. Compared to the much-debated 1973 `oil shock', the `countershock' has not received the same degree of attention, even though its legacy has shaped the present-day energy scenario. This volume is the first to put the oil `counter-shock' of the mid-1980s into historical perspective. Featuring some of the most knowledgeable experts in the field, Counter-Shock offers a balanced approach between the global picture and local study cases. In particular, it highlights the crucial interaction between the oil counter-shock and the political `counterrevolution' against state intervention in economic management, put forward by Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher in the same period.
This book is a practical guide to the international, EC and UK law applying to the various uses of nuclear energy and radioactive substances. The first edition was produced in 1997, and given the renaissance of interest in nuclear power in the UK and worldwide, this new, updated and much expanded edition is timely. It will cover the law relating to the permitting and operation of nuclear power stations, the decommissioning and clean-up of former nuclear facilities, radiological protection, the management of radioactive waste and spent fuel, liability and insurance, and the security and transport of radioactive materials. Readers will find a clear framework explaining the development and application of nuclear law, and how domestic law is based on and influenced by international and European requirements and by its historical context. In the commercial context, the chapters dealing specifically with new build and with decommissioning will be vital reading.
These books offer the work of leading representatives of academic, business, and government sectors worldwide who discuss current and future issues of critical importance for using science and technology to foster regional economic development and shared prosperity at home and abroad. Multidisciplinary perspectives provide state-of-the-art and useful knowledge to decision makers in both the private and public sectors---including informed and effective education, business, and government policies and strategies for the global knowledge economy. --Book Jacket.
This book offers a new analytical framework for studying nuclear command and control (C2), based on a comparative study of four nuclear weapons states (NWS). The subject of nuclear operations management has long been shrouded in secrecy, and whilst the importance of nuclear C2 cannot be disputed, there are few academic studies into how and why states develop these systems. This volume includes a comparative study of the development of nuclear C2 by four different NWS (Britain, China, India, and Pakistan) and demonstrates that, despite several differences, there is a central set of factors that remain constant. The analytical framework used in this study identifies key factors that can potentially shape the evolution and stability of nuclear C2. These factors include geostrategic (threat) environment, international norms, leadership, and control of nuclear operations (civil-military control). The book also analyses the interaction among different stakeholders within the nuclear C2 enterprise. It recognises that politicians, the military and scientists all have key but different roles to play, and the way these stakeholders have learned to co-exist with each other is explored. This volume offers a set of dynamics that could form a global norm for nuclear C2, serving as a standard for new entrants into the nuclear club. This book will be of much interest to students of nuclear proliferation, global governance, and International Relations in general.
